Car-fender



(N0-Madam 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. WILLEY. GAR FENDER.

No. 569,699. Patented 001'.. 20, 6.

iii il 'uji l lli w la uw \I 0 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Oct. 20, 1896.

Y? a f4 2 53 G. W. WILLJEIY.- GAR FENDER.

(No Model.)

illnllllrl Armar FFICE@ EORGE IV. IVILLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 569,699, dated October 20, 1896.

Application filedJnly 27, 1895. Serial No. 557,340. (No model.)

To a/ZZ rui-"wm it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WILLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Fenders, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had therein to the ac companying drawings.

The invention relates to an improved fender of the piclcup class, and is especially adapted for use upon cars operated by electric, cable, or other power.

The object is to produce a device of this character, of simple and inexpensive construction, by which the removal of obstruct-ions from the track will be effected with safety and without inflicting serious injury.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features and combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, and wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure l. is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the in vention applied. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical longitudinal section, showing by dotted lines the several positions the fender may be made to assume. Fig. 3 is aview in plan. Fig. e is a central vertical section of the releasing device. Fig. is a view in detail of one of the fender-actuating springs,

Fig. 6 is a view in detail of the cushioned eX- tremity of one of the V-shaped projections, and Figs. 7 and S are similar views of a modified form of releasing device.

In the drawings, A represents a portion of a car; o, the forward end thereof, to which the fender is applied, and a2 the truck-frame.

B represents the fender, which consists, essentially, of a skeleton frame h, niovably mounted between two forward -projecting bars or extensions of the car-truck by being pivoted in the slotted extremities thereof. rihis frame comprises a series of diverging bars h3, suitably spaced and having a limited movement abouta common axis b4. From the axis the bars project forward and are curved downward toward the road-bed,where they termina-te in apertured heads, and upon engagement with small obstructions upon the track, such as stones, &c., will yield at the pivot-point and pass over them without strain or injury to the structure. The opposite extremities L5, lying beneath a net of metal or other suitable material, extend rearward from the axis and are attached to or form part of a transversely-disposed bar bl, which is movable between the truck extensions JS under the influence of two or more downward-acting springs h.

Secured in the apertured heads of each of the bars are two rubber covered helical springs Z210, which are carried upward upon opposite sides thereof and secured to the axial rod at points midway of the bars, so as to form a series of approximately V-shaped recesses ou, which, upon engagement with man or beast obstructing the track, are designed to receive and clamp the limbs of the body, the latter being then elevated by mechanism to be described later on. Covering the apertured heads are tips 612, which may be of hard or soft rubber or other material and serve to break the force of the blow of collision, also as guides to facilitate the en trance of objects into the recesses.

G represents a releasing device for the fender, which consists of a tubular casing c, arranged vertically in therear of the dash and having centrally mounted therein a rotatable rod c2, upon the upper end of which a handwheel e3 is ixed. The opposite extremity of this rod or shaft terminates in an angularlyprojecting lug c4, which is designed to be passed through an opening` in the transverse rod connecting the fender-bars. Within the tubular casing a number of annular lugs or flanges c5 are formed, and each liange is notched, as at c, for the passage of a lug c7 upon the releasing-shaft- These notches are alined with a recess es, formed in the wall at the upper end of the tubular casing, into which a second lug or projection c from the shaft is designed to enter.

In use the fender lies, normally, with the rubber-tipped projections clear of road inequalities, and is sustained in this position against the action of the downward-acting spring by the lug upon the releasing-shaft engaging the upper flange within the casing. If for any reason it should be found neces- IOO sary or desirable to partially elevate the fender, the motorman, by rotating the shaft until the lu g passes through the notch of the lian ge, may then cause it to lock upon the second or next-lowest fiange, and thereby permit the springs to catch and raise the fender a dis-A tance proportionate to the downward movement of the shaft. Vhen, however, the body of a man, for example, is caught, it is preferable that the fender should be immediately elevated, and to effect this the motorman, by means of the hand-wheel, rotates the shaft until the lu g passes through the notch of the iiange, and, since the notches are alined, upon releasing the rod, the springs, being free to catch, draw the shaft downward until the second lug becomes seated in the recess of the tubular casing, and thereby elevate the fender to a horizontal position, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Upon giving the hand-wheel a full half-turn the lower terminal lug and the actuating springs become disengaged from the bar, and the entire device may then be swung upward against the dash, as is also shown in the same ligure of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 7 and S, a modified form ot' releasing device is illustrated and consists in providing the tubular casing with a rotatable cover and the releasing-shaft with diametrically opposite fins at or adjacent the upper end. rIhese iins work through an opening in the cover and are enlarged at their upper ends to form stops and thereby limit the downward movement of the shaft. Projecting upward from the cover is an arm slotted to receive the end of a lever, which is pivoted to the releasing-shaft and by means of which the shaft may be more readily elevated, its action being otherwise as above described. It will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts as herein illustrated and described, since innumerable changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

IIavin g thus fully described my invention` what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination in a fender, of a base or support, a series of bars carried thereby, and springs supported by said bars, said springs forming approximately V-shaped recesses for engagement with obstructions upon the track, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a fender, of a series of forwardly projecting bars, and covered springs connected to the front ends of said bars, said springs being arranged at an angle to each other and forming a series of approximately V -shaped recesses for engagement with obstructions upon the track, substantially as specilied.

The combination in a fender, of a series of forwardly-projeeting bars, a spring arranged on each side of and carried by said bars, said springs being so mounted as to form between thema series of approximately V-shaped recesses for engagement with obstructions upon the track.

4. The combination in a fender, of a frame. means for raising and lowering the same, a series of forwardly-projecting bars forming part of said frame, a transverse pivot-rod to which said forwardly-proj eetin g bars are pivoted, and springs arranged on each side ot' said bars, and connected at one end to the forward end of the bars, and at the opposite end to said pivot-rod, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

` GEORGE IV. XVILLEY.

' lVitnesses:

JNO. SToKEs ADAMS, WALTER W. CALMORE. 

